The Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists (COMEG) has accredited some academic programmes in Mining and Geosciences taught in 19 tertiary institutions across the country, a development that aims to professionalize and instill competence of service providers in the Nigerian extractive industry.
Registrar/CEO, COMEG, Prof. Zacheus Opafunso who made this known on Friday in Abuja, said the 19 tertiary institutions satisfied the requirement for accreditation of the programmes, adding that Certificates of Accreditation will be presented to the institutions by the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc. Olamilekan Adegbite, on Monday, May 8, 2023 at the Minister’s Conference Room, Abuja.
Discussing the mandate of the Council, Prof Opafunso said: “The Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists (COMEG) was established by Act CAP C33 LFN 2004 to register, regulate and control the training and practices of professionals in the Nigerian Extractive Industries,” adding that the professionals include geoscientists, mining engineers, petroleum engineers, metallurgists and others in the related professions.
According to the Registrar, “Part (VI), Section 17(1) of COMEG, Act Cap C33 LFN 2004, empowers COMEG to Regulate and Control the practice of professionals in the Nigeria Extractive Industry (Mining Engineers, Geoscientists, Mineral Processing Engineers, Metallurgists, etc) in all its aspects and ramifications,” adding that it includes their training and discipline, appointments and promotions among others.
Prof Opafunso conveyed the goodwill of Council to the institutions saying: “Council is pleased to announce that the under-listed Tertiary Institutions visited for COMEG Accreditation shall be presented with their certificates in a ceremony on Monday.”
The institutions and their respective accredited courses are as follows: Ladoke Akintola University Ogbomoso, Oyo State (B.Tech Applied Geology and B.Tech Applied Geophysics); Delta State University, Abraka, Delta State (B.Sc Geology); Mountain Top University, Makogi Oba, Ogun State (B.Sc Geology & B.Sc Geophysics); Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State (B.Sc Geology and B.Sc Geophysics); Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State (B.Sc Applied Geophysics and B.Sc Geology); University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State (B.Sc Geology and B.Sc Geophysics); Federal University of Technology Akure, Akure, Ondo State (B.Eng Mining Engineering, B.Tech Marine Science & Technology, B. Tech Remote Sensing & Geoscience Information, B.Tech Applied Geology and B. Tech Applied Geophysics).
The list of successful institutions include Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo Town, Oyo State (B.Sc Geology); Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nkpolu, Rivers State (B.Sc Geology); University of Nigeria Nsukka, Nsukka, Enugu State (B.Sc Geology); Gregory University Uturu, Abia State (B.Sc Geology); Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State (B.Sc Geology); and Osun State University, Osogbo, Osun State (B.Sc Geology); Ebonyi State University, Abakiliki, Ebonyi State (B.Sc Geology); University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State (B.Sc Geology); University of Port-Harcourt, Choba, Rivers State (B.Sc Geology); Crawford University, Igbesa, Ogun State (B.Sc Geology & Mineral Science); Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun, Delta State (HND Petroleum Engineering & Geosciences); and Federal Polytechnic Ado-Ekiti, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State (HND Geological Engineering, HND Mining Engineering and HND Mineral Resources Engineering).
The registrar said: “Members of the public especially parents and potential students should note that the certificates shall only be given to COMEG Accredited Tertiary Institutions offering the relevant programmes.
He disclosed that “only students that graduated from COMEG Accredited Institutions shall be registered by COMEG,” adding that the next COMEG Accreditation Exercise shall take place in June/July 2023.
He encouraged tertiary institutions with the relevant programmes to participate in the exercise in order to fully prepare their grandaunts for compliant industry practice.
